


The Best We Can

by Space_and_Thyme



Series: Winter's Child [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bickering, Bucky rides a Harley Davidson, Gen, Infinity War just never happened, M/M, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, because hell yes???, daughter is still adjusting to being wanted and cared for, in which Bucky and Steve argue but they sort it out themselves, mentioned Natasha Romanov & Bucky Barnes, trying to give their adopted daughter a normal life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 16:44:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15417240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Space_and_Thyme/pseuds/Space_and_Thyme
Summary: It's been six months since Bucky adopted the teenaged girl off of the streets and out of an abusive home life. All he wants to do is give her the most normal life that he can, despite the fact that she's been officially adopted by himself and Steve Rogers, and unofficially by the entire Avengers team.Part of being normal is going to High School, right?





	The Best We Can

She could hear them bickering, though it was heavily muted, through the walls.

 

It was about her.

 

It was _always_ about her.

 

Her shoulders rose up to her ears as she ducked down, guilt burning on the back of her neck like a firebrand. She closed her eyes tightly, desperate to disengage from the situation – desperate to not be in this place again, not with _them._

 

“She _can’t_ , Buck –“

 

“She’s had a pretty awful life up until _this_ point, _Steven._ ” Bucky’s answering growl was low, but predatory. He may have been the _slightly_ smaller of the two super soldiers, but by all counts and measures, the dynamic the two of them had shared since the 1930s – in which Bucky was the larger and slightly more level-headed of the two – was still in play.

 

“I _know_ that, Buck – don’t call me Steven, you know I don’t like it when you do it.”

 

“Then don’t act like wise guy if you want me to keep calling you _Stevie_! And no, I don’t think you’re understanding this entire issue!”

 

“I understand just fine, _James_ , but you can’t be serious –“

 

“I am _dead serious,_ Steven. She’s had a hell of a go of it up until this point – she’s going to regular school. She’s going to get out of this tower and she’s going to go out and make friends and have a life of her own that she can be proud of!”

 

Steve sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as his broad shoulders sagged. He wanted only the best for Violet as well, but he doubted it was as easy as Bucky was making it out to be.

 

After all, Bucky had picked the girl up out of the gutter during a mission six months earlier. She’d been alone, starving, after escaping from an abusive home life. Bucky hadn’t questioned what he was doing, hadn’t taken any time to think it through – though Steve was _not_ a person that should be judging Bucky on that streak – he’d just thrown himself into the situation and taken the teenager under his wing.

 

His titanium, weaponized, wing.

 

Steve sighed as he rubbed his face. He could feel Bucky’s grey gaze burning through him, haughty and immoveable. “Buck… why is this so important?” He lowered his hands enough to look back at his best friend and husband.

 

“Because I’ll be damned if I let that poor girl feel like she’s anything other than normal.” His voice was still low, but the growl and predatory edge was gone. The tone was soft, but resolute.

 

“Bucky, you picked her up out of the street – and I know _exactly_ why you did it, I would have done it too – but…”

 

“But _what_?” Still there was no edge, only a tone betraying the fact that Bucky was tired of this conversation.

 

“But it’s not entirely safe to send her out in public. Anyone could see her, anyone could either realize she’s our daughter, or recognize her and tell her mother where she is –“

 

Bucky’s hard gaze melted when he heard those two simple words. _Our daughter._ He quirked a quick smile that barely made it to his eyes before it vanished again. “Stevie… Violet is never going to be safe. She’s never _been_ safe – but I’ll be damned if I let it get under my skin. You can run me through the wringer on this all you want, but I’m damn sure that seen or not, she’s better off making friends her own age and going to a normal school, than she is sitting around here with Tony’s tutors.”

 

Steve sighed and sagged his shoulders again as he looked at his husband; he was starting to see Bucky’s point – well, he always _had_ , but someone had to try to be the voice of reason in the argument.

 

Turns out it was Bucky the entire time.

 

“You’re right…”

 

The old Bucky flickered back to life, as he cockily lifted his chin and put on the charm. He smirked, just a little, as he looked down his nose at Steve – though Steve was now taller than him – before the smirk pulled into a sideways grin. “Course I am, punk.”

 

Steve huffed out an exasperated sigh, fighting off the laughter that was threatening to break free. “You’re right… she deserves the chance to find friends – maybe even one like I did in third grade…” his blue eyes flickered back to the other man for a brief moment.

 

The grey eyes were gentle, and for a moment Steve saw nothing but the seventeen year old that had promised him _‘till the end of the line.’_ That day in 1934. Nothing but the warmth and tenderness and _youth_ in Bucky’s face – as if the 84 years since that day had never transpired – as if the last 70 hadn’t been spent worn ragged and exhausted to the bone and – tortured. For the briefest of moments, Steve saw not the grim lines that seemed to always frame his husband’s features, or the dark circles more often than not under his bright eyes, or even the mass of long dark hair that was haphazardly thrown back to keep it out of his eyes. All Steve saw for that brief, shining, moment was the Bucky he’d known since they were kids – the Bucky he’d originally fallen head over heels for.

 

His heart sang – skipped a beat, still, at the sight of that warm and gentle smile. He didn’t get to see it often enough, not any more. He wanted to sear it into his mind’s eye while he had the chance. His mouth got the better of him though, speaking before his mind could even register what it was doing.

 

“What are ya lookin’ at me like that for?” The old Brooklyn tone and cadence slipped back into place, and suddenly Steve was 16 again.

 

“I love ya too, punk.” Bucky answered easily.

 

Two weeks later, on the Monday morning, Violet Barnes-Rogers (lord, wasn’t that a mouthful?) officially started attending a High School three miles from the Avengers’ Tower.

 

The heavy purring of the Harley Davidson’s motor echoed up the street before the bike itself came into view.  Military green with a white star painted onto the fuel tank and circled by a band of blue and a band of red, the motorcycle was driven by a large man in a black leather jacket and charcoal wash jeans. Perched behind him was a smaller figure of a young girl, dressed in a matching leather jacket somewhere between black and dark blue. She gripped his waist tightly as he leaned around the corner, before throttling down and slowing to a stop outside of the High School. In a fluid motion, he lowered the kickstand with one strong leg, and leaned the bike over. The motor was still purring as the girl scrambled off the bike.

 

A small crowd had gathered, pausing as they were walking up the steps to enter the school, distracted by the motorcyclist and the girl.

 

“That is a _sweet_ bike…” one 16 year old boy whistled appreciatively.

 

The man remained half-seated on the Harley – his feet planted on the concrete. He reached up and pulled off his helmet, as the girl removed her own and put it into storage on the back of the bike. Bucky rest his over the handle bars as he turned his attention to Violet. He sat with his hands – mercifully covered by leather driving gloves - pressed against his thighs. His dark hair was loosely gathered back behind his head – several slightly too short pieces falling around his face and down the back of his neck.

 

“Well, here you are…” He smiled softly, and it was almost a foreign look on his scruffy face.

 

Violet smiled weakly, and swallowed nervously. “Thanks Buck…”

 

Bucky’s eyes darted around them, taking stock of the small crowd that had gathered to watch the new student and her guardian. Turning his grey eyes back to Violet, he smirked almost imperceptibly. He leaned in, speaking softly near her ear. “I think you’ve got a good chance at being _cool_ now.” He sat back as she laughed.

 

“You want’a ride back later, or ya wanna find your own way?” He quirked a brow as he looked at his adopted daughter. While it made him a little nervous, the girl was almost 15, and he knew he needed to trust that she would be alright. Besides, it wasn’t like she didn’t have a phone, or as if she wasn’t adopted into a family of Superheroes…

 

Violet shook her head a little. “I can find my way back, Buck. Besides you’re usually busy in the afternoon and –“

 

He just titled his jaw down and raised a brow skeptically as he looked at her. “Not too busy to come get ya, _Rebenok_.”

 

Violet swallowed tightly and nodded her head. She still wasn’t used to him caring like this – not used to anyone caring like that, not for years. “Well… if you _don’t_ mind…”

 

“Course not, Vi.”

 

Violet leaned in and pressed a kiss against Bucky’s scruffy cheek as she retrieved her rucksack from the saddle bags draped over the Harley. “I… love you, Buck.”

 

“Love you too, sweetie.” He rumbled in her ear. “Now go on and learn somethin’ we can’t teach ya.” He laughed as he took the helmet off of the handle bars, and put it back on.

 

Violet watched Bucky roar out of the drop-off zone, and take off up the street, before turning to walk up the steps of the High School.

 

There was still a few people gathered outside of the red brick building, having watched the man drop her off.

 

One girl turned to Violet, as she started up the stairs and passed the group of people. “Oh my _god_! Your brother is _sooooo_ hot!”

 

It caught Violet off guard – to the point that she nearly stumbled as she faltered in her step. Pausing, she turned to the girl that had spoken to her – she was a pretty thing with coffee-au-lait coloured hair and non-descript hazel eyes. But Violet couldn’t control her reaction at hearing those words.

 

“Ew… Ewwwww…  _Ewwwwwww_ …” She jerked as the shudder ran down her spine. “That’s my _DAD!_ ”

 

It felt weird to call Bucky Barnes her father – given the fact that she’d already had a father, before… but it was true. He’d adopted her, as had Steve. They were her parents now, more than just her guardians. While she’d likely never call either of them _Dad_ to their faces, it was the only answer she had for the nosey girl.

 

The other girl’s brows lifted. “Really? Damn he must have had you young… is he… single?” She bit her lip in a completely undisguised lustful expression.

 

It squicked Violet out, and she wanted to cringe. But the question brought the other side of her personality out. Before she could even think to stop herself, she broke out into sassy and sarcastic laughter.

 

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA no.” she folded her arms over her chest, her rucksack slung over her right shoulder.

 

The girl stomped her foot slightly as she whinged “Daaaaamn… Do… do you think there’s a chance he might be, _soon_?”

 

All the colour drained from Violet’s face as she stared at this girl. Her mind was completely boggled by the situation – she understood that Bucky was attractive – she’d have to be totally blind to not recognize his aesthetic beauty… but she could _not_ understand the free and open lust that this girl was showing for him – especially since said girl hadn’t even _met_ him.

 

But, she did have a fitting answer for the comment. “No, and my other Dad would _kill_ you for asking.” She smirked, the little barb putting her into a place of superiority as it left her lips.

 

The world seemed to halt, and the girl’s face flashed between a range of emotions – shock, horror, disgust, realization… those were just a few of them. The words that left her, did so without her mind filtering them first. “Oh GOD he’s _A GAY_!”

 

Violet wanted to snort in surprise and partial amusement, but she steeled herself. She’d always been snarky, but living as Bucky’s daughter for the last six months had only honed her deadpan. “… People are gay, Deborah.”

 

The girl’s brows furrowed together as Violet stepped up passed her. “How did you know my name?”

 

 _‘Oh my_ GOD _it’s actually her name…’_ “Lucky guess?” Violet shrugged and walked into the school.

 

   
★

 

The minute Bucky stepped out of the elevator and onto the floor he shared with Steve, his husband was all over him – and not affectionately.

 

“What the _HELL_ James!?”

 

Bucky tossed his keys and his gloves into the bowl sitting on the counter precisely for that purpose. He shrugged his black leather jacket off, and tossed it over the back of a waiting chair, as Steve stalked towards him. He wasn’t falling for the 'Captain America tactic'.

 

“I thought we said we’d give her a chance at a _normal_ life!!!” Steve panted in anger.

 

Bucky shrugged his shoulders, the muted grey-green Henley gapped open over his chest as he flopped down onto their couch and lifted his feet onto the table, crossing his ankles as his arms rested in a T-shape over the back of the couch. “What are ya talkin’ about, Stevie?”

 

“You just – you took her school on the Harley!?”

 

Again Bucky shrugged easily. “Yeah, and? She needed a ride, and I wanted to take the hog out – it’s a sunny morning.”

 

“But you don’t think that’s going to draw attention to her?!” Steve was exasperated – he felt like he was trying to explain a very basic concept to a brick wall that wasn’t listening.

 

Well… Bucky _was_ kind of built like a brick shithouse – Steve pushed the thought away, there would be time for fawning later.

 

“Stevie… There’s _good_ attention, and _bad_. Dropping her off like that gave her a chance at being _cool_! That’s about as normal as we can give, Stevie. Put her in High School like a normal girl, give her a chance at being cool, and just… sit back and let her enjoy herself.” Bucky lifted his gaze and met Steve’s eyes- blue for grey. “At the end of the day she’s always going to be different – and we can’t help that. So why not give her a bit of a nudge in that direction, eh?”

 

Steve sighed and cursed under his breath. “Fine. But I’m sending the car to pick her up this afternoon –“

 

“Like hell you are.” Bucky rumbled.

 

Steve’s brows furrowed as he looked back at his husband in confusion. “What?”

 

Bucky took his feet off of the table and sat forward – leaning forward as his elbows planted on his thighs. “I promised her I’d pick her up – on the hog again. She doesn’t want to ask, because she thinks I don’t have time to do it – because she doesn’t want to be a burden on us. Like hell I’m gonna let ya send a car – I’m not reinforcing the thought that she’s not enough.”

 

Steve sighed softly and nodded. He stepped around the table and flopped down onto the couch at Bucky’s side; his hand instantly finding and resting on Bucky’s thigh. “I hadn’t thought of that… but I understand it.” He squeezed the muscle under his hand gently.

 

Bucky laid his metal hand over Steve’s, as his husband was sitting to his left, while he turned his head to look at him. “Nah, ya might’a been a pain my ass, punk, but ya were never a burden.”

 

Steve looked up through his lashes, giving Bucky a darkly skeptical look that clearly said _‘I don’t believe you, but I’m not going to bring it up right now.’_

 

Bucky, for all the years that he wasn’t with Steve, still could read the man like an open book. “I wouldna stuck around if I didn’t want to, you know that.”

 

Steve grumbled something unintelligible as he shifted his weight slightly and lowered his head onto Bucky’s flesh and titanium shoulder. Bucky titled his head, resting his cheek warmly against Steve’s crown.

 

They stayed there, just holding onto each other with warmth and affection, a tenderness that had long existed between them.

 

After a few moments, Steve spoke up, breaking the cozy silence when the thought he was having could not be contained any longer. “I don’t like that she feels so out of place…”

 

“I don’t either, Stevie, but we can’t push it.”

 

Steve lifted his head from Bucky's shoulder, and sat up properly as he looked down ever so slightly at his husband. “But she needs to know that we-“

 

“ _Stevie_.” Bucky warned. “You and I have _both_ been in the place that she’s in. We both know what it’s like to suffer at the hands of others, and the trauma that comes with it. It’s going to take longer than six months – it’s going to take longer than a year… hell it’s going to take longer than three years, punk. We gotta just keep showing her that she’s wanted and loved, and let her open up and trust us in her own time. Got it?"

 

Steve nodded and rest his head back on Bucky’s shoulder again. “I got it… I just wish we could make it easier on her.”

 

His fingers brushed over the narrow segment of Bucky’s titanium ring finger that had been replaced with one plated with gold – the original titanium piece was worn over Steve’s own left ring finger – their answer to wedding bands. He suddenly lifted the metal hand to his face, and pressed a kiss against the cool metal, before slotting his fingers through Bucky’s, and just holding his bionic hand as he rested against the man’s shoulder.

 

Bucky’s eyes slowly slid closed, and he let out a soft sigh – a breath he’d not realized he’d been holding. “It’s gonna be alright. We’ll figure it out.” He rest his cheek against Steve’s crown again.

 

Steve nodded slightly. “We always do, Buck.”

 

★

 

Two months after Violet started High School, she came home early on a Friday afternoon.

 

Steve greeted her with a smile, but he was already half out the door for his next mission – it didn’t occur to him in that moment that she should have been in class for another two hours. He just gripped her shoulder as they passed each other before the elevator. “Buck’s in the gym, if you’re looking for him.” With a last nod of his head, Steve disappeared into the elevator.

 

Violet worried her lip as she paced around the open communal space of the floor she and the two super soldiers she called her parents shared. He would never say yes, she knew it – but she still had to try.

 

She had to _try_.

 

Sighing and gathering the top half of her hair up and back into a loose and messy bun, Violet quickly changed into her workout clothing - a simple blue tee and a pair of pale purple and bubble gum pink cotton pants. She grabbed a bottle of water and a bottle of electrolyte replacement from the fridge, and headed to the elevator. Her heart was racing.

 

When she reached the gym, she swore she could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She took a deep breath as the doors of the elevator opened up. She stepped out.

 

Bucky was across from her, on the other side of the gym – currently beating the hell out of a punching bag which, as she noticed, was triple secured to the mounting to keep it from immediately surrendering under his powerful strikes. He was dressed simply – black sweat pants and a black, athletic compression, tank top, with black boxers’ wraps wound around both his hands. His tennis shoes were black and white, and his dark hair was gathered back into an approximation of a man bun at the nape of his neck. The dog tags around his neck flashed in the light, as he worked out his aggression on the leather, Kevlar, and sand punching bag.

 

Violet swallowed tightly, and stepped out slightly. She just watched him a moment – suddenly shy and not sure how to approach the topic that was looming in her head.

 

Bucky, ever observant, spotted her the moment the elevator started to open, but made not show of it until she stepped, hesitantly closer. Stilling the punching bag and panting softly, he turned to face his daughter.

 

“Hey,” his brows furrowed a little, though he kept the mildly confused smile. “You’re home early…” He shook it off. Maybe today was a half-day and he’d forgotten. His mind had been all over the place since the call earlier that was taking Steve away for the next three weeks.

 

“The weights are all yours.” He nodded gesturally towards the rack of dumbbells ranging from 2 to 200 pounds. Violet had started lifting weights a few months prior – wanting to build up her strength now that she was regaining weight after her time living on the street with her dog.

 

“Okay…” Violet forced a smile, and instantly Bucky knew something was up.

 

“What’s wrong, _Rebenok?_ ”

 

She shook her head, “Nothing’s…wrong" she paused a moment "… Bucky?”

 

His dark brows unknitted and his expression softened a little. “Yeah, Vi?”

 

“Do you think… I mean… _would_ … you teach me?”

 

Again his brows knit in confusion. “Teach you what, hunny?”

 

Violet shrugged her shoulders lightly. “How to fight? Steve said you were a boxing champion two years in a row, and … well I’ve seen what you can do with a knife and I just thought… maybe…”

 

His brows lifted and he smiled at her incredulously. “If you want, yeah… But wouldn’t you rather Nat? She’s more agile and I’m more –“

 

“Brute strength?” Violet questioned.

 

“Brute strength… yeah.” He nodded his head, and pushed his sweaty hair back from his eyes. “I’m sure Nat would be more than happy to-“

 

Violet shook her head. “I don’t want Nat. I mean she’s great!” She blurted out, holding up her hands defensively, still holding the water bottle and the electrolyte replacement. “But… _you_ trained Nat, right?”

 

The speed at which Bucky’s body language shifted, would have anyone that wasn’t part of his strange little family wondering if something in that sentence had been one of the Winter Soldier’s trigger words. His back straightened as his spine and shoulders became rigid lines, while his face turned to a blank but taut expression.

 

Yes. He – or rather the Winter Soldier – had trained Natasha. He had been the one that ingrained many of her skills within her. But, he had also beat the ever loving living shit out of her, time and time again, during that training. He had nearly killed her, more than once, and he had _definitely_ killed other girls just like her – the ones that couldn’t take the “training”. He had been less of a teacher, and more of a master – a beast to be overcome though he too was owned and handled like a dog of war.

 

It was why, to this day, he and Nat were more accurately described as minimal acquaintances – oh, they were willing to help each other, to back each other up, as they certainly knew the skill set that each of them had – they were tolerant of each other. But, they would most likely never be friends – at least not permanently. Brief periods of comradery during missions wasn’t out of the question.

 

But it didn’t matter that both Bucky and Natasha knew that the man who had beat and bloodied her and killed her ‘sisters’ was not who _Bucky_ was. The damage was done, the memories soiled and implanted, and the trauma caused, although they had both pushed passed it to remain civil.

 

Bucky swallowed tightly, as Violet gazed at him with a hopeful and expectant look. She wanted this – wanted him to teach her how to fight, though he had zero understanding of why she wanted it to be _him._ Nat was more than capable, and likely of greater use in fighting technique, but the look in Violet’s eyes pulled at his heartstrings, and he sighed softly. With that mess of strawberry and honey blonde hair and those defiant yet hopeful eyes, he was weakened. It was like Steve asking him to each him how to properly box nearly ninety years passed.

 

Bucky sighed, a slow release of an exhale from his lungs. “I _did_ train Nat…” he nodded, “But… it’s not nearly as pleasant as you think-“

 

“I know.” Violet blurted out before she could stop herself. “Nat told me.”, the blush that rose in her cheeks and burned could cook an egg – she was sure of it. “But she also told me that there’s no one better to learn from.”

 

Something in his mind seemed to short circuit – of all the things that he expected Nat to say about him, about the memories and garbage that he had put her through, he never once considered that she would confess that he was the best. She would never do it to his face, and that was perfectly fine – he didn’t _want_ to hear her say it. But it came entirely out of left field.

 

“Please, Buck?” Violet pressed eagerly as she approached a little closer. “My Dad started teaching me before – before… “ her voice faltered and her throat grew tight. Her father’s death was still a very open and raw wound, and it likely always would be.  She tried to fight back against it, to be stronger than the emotion, but her treacherous body would have none of it.

 

Bucky’s own fear and worry about somehow hurting Violet – about this action of training her unleashing the small part of him that was still the Winter Soldier – melted away when he saw the honest look in her eyes. He knew she wasn’t playing him, and that this was a request that meant something to the girl and he sighed, giving in.

 

“Of course I’ll teach you, _Rebenok._ ” His voice and gaze were soft. “Anything you want.”


End file.
